be admonished by his senior in office, and if he persist, let a charge be laid and a trial had. Selling our own books is not subject to this provision. Ministers and probationers are strongly recommended not to become members of the secular boards of any trading company or any corporate body organized for the purpose of trade, or for the investing of other than Church funds. 251. When a minister or probationer holds and disseminates, publicly or privately, doctrines which are contrary to our Articles of Religion and doctrinal standards, let a charge be laid and a trial had. SECTION III. Trial of Members. 252. If a charge be laid against a local preacher or exhorter, the Superintendent of the Circuit shall preside at the trial. The Committee shall be composed of local preachers or other official members within the District. 253. If a charge be laid against any other member of the Church, the Superintendent of the Circuit shall preside. The Committee shall be composed of members within the District. It is recommended that, except for special reasons, members of the Quarterly Official Board of the Circuit be not on the Committee. Appeal in the Case of Members. 254. In the case of the trial of a local preacher, exhorter, or any other member, an appeal shall lie either to the Quarterly Official Board or to the Annual District Meeting when the laymen are present. If the appeal be to the Quarterly Official Board, and the decision be there confirmed, there shall be no further appeal. If the decision of the Committee be there reversed, the respondent may appeal to the Annual District Meeting, and its decision shall be final. 255. In a case of a dispute or difficulty between members relative to secular business, the payment of debts, or matters not otherwise provided for, the officer whose duty it would be to preside at a trial if a charge were laid, shall inquire into the circumstances, and may recommend an arbitration, or that a charge be laid, or that the matter be decided by a process at law, as the circumstances may require. If he recommend an arbitration, the proceedings shall be as herein-above provided. 256. When a member fails in business, or contracts debts which he is unable to pay, or is charged with nonpayment of debts, the officer whose duty it would be to preside, if a charge were laid, shall appoint a Committee of Inquiry, composed of three members, and if they report that he has acted dishonestly or has contracted debts without the probability of paying them, let their report be considered as a charge, and let a trial be had thereon. 257. No person shall, after trial and expulsion as aforesaid, have any privileges of society or of sacrament in the Church without contrition, confession and proper reception on trial. FORMS OF PROCEDURE IN TRIALS. 258. The Forms in Appendix VII. may be used, but their use shall not be obligatory, and no proceeding shall be declared null or set aside on a merely formal objection. |